dimensionscollidefandomcom-20200214-history
Energy Sword
"A noble and ancient weapon, wielded by the strongest of Sangheili, requires great skill and bravery to use, and inspires fear in those who face its elegant plasma blade." :—then-Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee [[|2]] The Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword, commonly known as the energy sword, is a close quarters weapon of the Covenant Empire exclusively used by the Sangheili.[[|3]][[|4]] edit] Overview [[]]EnlargeA blueprint of the energy sword in Halo 3.[[]]EnlargeA blueprint of the energy sword in Halo: Reach.The Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword's design is derived from that of the curveblade, a traditional weapon that was used throughout much of the Sangheili's history.[[|4]] Modern energy swords are manufactured by the Merchants of Qikost, a prominent group of arms makers from one of Sanghelios' moons.[[|1]] The energy sword consists of a curved hilt, which houses an energy storage and generation device, as well as the blade projector; that forms a blade of superheated plasma, stabilized by two small magnetic field generators built into the handle of the weapon — this forms and contains the oval shaped, ionized blades for which the weapon is recognized.[[|3]] The weapon is powered by a small battery that supplies power to the plasma generation device and magnetic field generators which generate and contain the plasma needed to form the blade.[[|5]] The battery's energy is reduced for each successful strike. Each strike from the sword will drain the battery by 10% of its maximum energy output. Once the battery power is fully depleted, the sword will deactivate unless recharged. The horizontal hilt forces the wielder to use a punching motion to stab rather than the thrusting motion of most knifes and swords. The energy sword contains a failsafe mechanism that can permanently disable the weapon if the Sangheili wielding it drops it.[[|6]] When dropped, the failsafe engages by deactivating the magnetic field before dispersing the plasma. The plasma then consumes the handle and thus destroys the weapon.[[|7]] The failsafe is included to prevent enemy infantry from acquiring the weapon and using it, and is yet another insight to Sangheili tactics. The energy sword is the signature weapon of the Sangheili, and has been their weapon of nobility since its creation during one of their Ages of Discovery.[[|8]] The Sangheili pride themselves on their skills with this weapon,[[|9]] which they regard as holy,[[|10]] and believe that it is better for a Sangheili to fall on his sword to redeem his honor than to die dishonorably.[[|11]][[|12]][[|10]] The Sangheili are very strict on who can be trained in the art of swordsmanship; outside the military, only aristocrats are permitted to wield energy swords.[[|1]] Sword wielders are not eligible for marriage, though they may breed with any female they choose, married or otherwise, to ensure successful transmission of "swordsman" genes.[[|13]][[|4]] Within the Covenant military, use of the energy sword is not restricted to aristocrats.[[|1]] Sangheili Minors are generally not permitted to wield the sword because of the high regard in which it is held,[[|10]] though some rare exceptions have seen witnessed.[[|14]][[|15]][[|16]] It is unknown whether this extends to Majors, as at least one has been witnessed using an energy sword.[[|16]] Ultras, Zealots, special operations and stealth troops, and honor guardsmen commonly use energy swords. edit] Advantages The Type-1 Energy Weapon is an extremely powerful and effective melee weapon in close-quarters combat. A single strike can penetrate through the energy shield systems and into the armor and flesh of a SPARTAN or a Sangheili. This is due to the design of the weapon, which utilizes ionized gas rather than traditional shaped, solid matter - because the energy sword lacks any solid material in which to hold, or impale anything, the sword does not cut or carve in the traditional sense, but rather boils anything it comes into contact with.[[|5]] This allows the weapon to pass through any type of material, including the toughest metal, with ease.[[|17]][[|18]] Injuries to living creatures by the Type-1 Energy Weapon can range from bad to gruesome. Stabs wounds by the Type-1 Energy Weapon are, in most cases, fatal — as the blade passes through the body, the innards of the body are burned and cauterized by the extreme temperatures produced by the blades.[[|19]] Body fluids in the area of the stab wound are flash vaporized upon contact — organs within the area of the stab wounds can suffer life threatening damage dependent upon the type of organ struck, effects of fluids trapped in organs or arteries in addition to the expansion of heat would cause ruptures or small explosions causing additional damage to the victim. Survival is minimal at best and in the case of non-vital organs being stabbed with the energy sword, proper medical treatment must be applied as soon as possible to ensure long-term survival. Because of the sword's sheer destructive power, dismemberment is another common form of fatality to victims, ranging from decapitation[[|20]] to bodies being sliced in half.[[|17]][[|21]] Loss of limbs is a common injury.[[|22]] While not fatal, a victim will require a cloned replacement or a mechanical prosthetic. The sheer destructive power of the sword makes it a weapon to be feared on any battlefield and is known for its physiological affects on human soldiers.[[|5]] The strength and lethality of the sword in the games are compensated for the sake of gameplay. edit] Disadvantages The Type-1 Energy Weapon's main disadvantage is that it is purely a close-quarters weapon, any weapon outside of the effective range puts the wielder at risk. It is for this reason the Sangheili approach sword combat on the battlefield in two different ways, by funneling the enemy into close-quarters to allow them to strike, or to apply a form of stealth using both technology and technique. Without these, the Sangheili is vulnerable to attack by different types of weapons both Human and Covenant. Infantry with overshielding are also more resistant when facing this weapon, as it can take two strikes before the shield system fails. The Type-1 Energy Weapon is also vulnerable to other magnetic fields, as they can block, disrupt, or possibly even alter the functionality of the sword. Two energy swords clashing together create a small disruption of energy as a result of the same type of magnetic fields clashing together. This clash has a slight area of effect damage that can affect the combatants. Like most other Covenant weapons, the Type-1 Energy Weapon is battery-powered, requiring the user to either recharge the weapon or discard it when the power is depleted. Although the handle can be used as a club, the Energy Sword's combat effectiveness at that point is minimal, as other firearms can be used for the same purpose. Category:Weapons